In his statement Schiff said the road to independence has not always been easy for the Armenian nation, but “time has proven that Armenians are survivors — survivors of foreign domination and survivors of the first genocide of the 20th century.” He also pointed out the role of Armenian-Americans in California and across the nation.

And to this day, Armenian-Americans continue to illustrate what a valuable asset they are to our society, breaking new ground economically, socially and politically in California and across the nation.

“Over the years, I have been privileged to work with many individuals in the Armenian community to end our government’s tragic failure to recognize the Armenian genocide, ensure the victims receive just compensation, and secure aid for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. As a friend to the Armenian community, I am honored to join you in commemorating this momentous anniversary. Congratulations to the government of Armenia and to the global Armenian community,” he said.